Baby Steps
by RavenChristina
Summary: Hotaru and Dino learn it takes baby steps to be with someone. Story three of the Aisheritu Cycle


Baby Steps

By

Scoutfan22

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Disclaimer: Ok people, I don't own Sailor Moon in its entirety. However, I do own the storyline and the following characters: Amber, Dino, and Baxter, who is Dino's guardian cat. My sister owns Freddy.

Summary: Dino and Hotaru learn that it takes baby steps to be with someone.

Feedback: 

Rating: PG 13

Author's Notes: Please read "Aisheritu: Lovesick" and "Desperately" before you read this one. Dino and Mimete broke up. The poem is an original poem by me. The art teacher, Dorn-sensei, is actually my art teacher at school. He's a cool guy, and he helped me recently with a relationship problem. Thanks Mr. Dorn!

Dedication: to Robert and Jack. Yes, Jack dear; you are googly eyed over him.

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"Am I Crazy?

"For wanting you

"Baby do you think you could want me too?" – Jesse McCartney

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"Wait, Dino, you forgot your…"

Hotaru Tomoe stood on the steps leading off the Mugen campus, watching as Dino Hikari raced off towards the bus stop.

They had been studying in the library and they'd been talking on the subject of one version of Little Red Riding Hood…

"Ok, so it's obvious that Ann Carter has turned it into a horror story. But I'm really confused about this part: 'and she lay sleeping tenderly between the wolf's paws."

"Dino, please tell me you're not that stupid."

"What?"

"She appeased him sexually, you dolt. So he wouldn't eat her."

Dino's eyes widened, "You mean she—"

"Yes."

"Oh."

It was few minutes before Hotaru finally said, "That's weird. You're older than me, and you didn't get it."

"I am so not older than you." He replied indignantly.

"You are too."

"How old are you?"

"15."

"Oh, jeez. I am older than you; I'm 16. You don't look 15."

She smiled, "I'll take that as a compliment. Now that we've gone over English literature, how about we go over the language itself?"

Dino started to reply, but then there was a beeping noise (A/N: we all know what that is) from his pocket. His eyebrow twitched slightly, and he said, "I've got to go."

He'd gathered all his stuff and had gone, but Hotaru had seen him leave a blue composition book, and so she'd tried to give back to him.

She shook her head and went back inside. She had to get home before Kaori found out she'd been gone too long.

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Later on that night at Hotaru's house

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Hotaru brushed a strand of black-violet hair from her eyes as she leaned over her sketchbook. _Just a little more shading on his head, and a little less off his neck…_

She picked up her eraser and took off the shading on his neck.

_There. Perfect. Now for some screen tone, and—_

But as she was reaching for the bottle, she knocked over her books from her desk onto the floor.

"Shimatta!"

Hotaru got down and picked up a few of her books. As she picked up her math book, Dino's book lay open in front of her. She saw that it was a poetry notebook. The title of the poem in front of her caught her attention; and she couldn't help but read it:

"Just One Night and I'll No Longer Dream"

If you would give me

Just one night, my love

Then my desire would be satisfied.

I would memorize your body

Every dip, every curve, every muscle

Every gasp, every whisper, every touch.

To be with you

For just one night

Would be the sweetest sin.

I have seen it in my mind

So many times

When I am alone in my bed.

Your eyes shimmer in the darkness

Your skin is so soft.

You whisper my name

And it rings in my head.

Your body beneath my own

Rises with each heaving breath

Sweat beads on your forehead and lip

As my hand caresses your body.

You scream my name in ecstasy

My voice joining your in one glorious sound.

I wake up alone

It was just a dream.

If you could give me

Just one night

Then I would no longer dream."

Hotaru, now sitting on her bed with the book in her lap realized she was holding her breath, and let it go; shuddering.

_Oh my gods. Oh my gods. That was… amazing. I wonder who he wrote it for? I mean, he and Mimete broke up two weeks ago, so who could he have—_

Suddenly it hit her.

_Me? It can't be me._

She flipped through the book and found another poem:

"Eyes of violet

Hair of black-violet

This is my goddess

Who enchants me

With every move—"

She slammed the book shut and fell back onto her bed.

_Does Dino like me? I mean, _really _like me? Oh gods, I can't breathe. I can't— _she stood up and began pacing back and forth, S_hould I tell him? No, he may just be attracted to me. Just because he wrote two poems about me doesn't mean he's in love with me! Wait, I know who could help me with this!_

She picked up her phone and dialed the number she'd just memorized.

"Moshi, Moshi, hello?"

"Amber?"

"Oh, hey Taru. How are you?"

"I'm fine. But I need to ask you a question. Um, if a guy writes two poems about you, and they're really wonderful and nice and beautiful, does that mean he likes you?"

"Oh my gods, Dino wrote poems about you, didn't he?"

"Is it that obvious?"

"Girl, you sound like you've been to the moon and back (A/N: forgive the pun). Tell me all about it."

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"Moshi, Moshi, this is Freddy."

"Freddy, did I leave my poetry notebook at your house?"

"Whoa, no 'hello' or 'how are you?' "

"Freddy, this is serious. I don't know where it is, and there's some pretty personal stuff in there!"

"Ok man, just calm down. Where'd did you last have it?"

"At the library."

"Ok, then what happened?"

"Well, uh, I had to leave, if you know what I mean, and when I got home, I didn't have it. Oh, what if Mimete the hell goddess finds it? Then I'm dead."

"Dude, it's been two weeks, and you're still worried that she'll take revenge?"

"Freddy, you weren't her boyfriend for two months."

"Good point. Well, I'll look for it, and if I find it, I'll let you know, ok?"

"Ok Freddy, bye."

"Adios amigo."

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"Well, it wasn't at Freddy's house."

Baxter looked up from cleaning his paws. "Uh oh."

"I hope he finds it. Aw Baxter, what if my poems get put up around school? I'll be the laughing stock!"

"Well," the tiger cat with the crescent-shaped bald spot said as he hoped into his master's lap, "Just hope that Hotaru doesn't find it."

"GAH!!!! HOTARU!!!!! OH MY GOD!!!!! WHAT IS SHE DOES FIND IT???!!!"

"Ok, ok, just calm down. It's ok Dino, we'll find it."

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Next day….

"All right, Hotaru. Should we do a tall shelf or a medium shelf?"

Hotaru smiled at her art teacher and thought about it. "Tall shelf. I mean, we've got to fit six coil pots in there, right Dorn-sensei?"

He nodded. He walked over to the ware cart and picked up a pot. "Who's is this?"

"Freddy's."

"Ah yeah." Dorn-sensei put it into the kiln and Hotaru watched him. He was definitely her favorite teacher. A lot of the other kids didn't like him because he was from America, and they made fun of his accent when he spoke Japanese. But she thought he was pretty cool. He was so easy to talk to as well, so maybe he could help her out.

"Dorn-sensei?"

"Yes Tomoe-san?"

She bit her lip. "Um, have you ever liked somebody, and you didn't know if they liked you back, but they flirted with you and they seemed to like you back, and you still weren't sure until you found something that made you realize they liked you?"

As she took a breath, Dorn-sensei looked at her and watched his student carefully. After a moment he said, "Yeah. It's happened to me before. When I was in junior high school, as a matter of fact."

"Really? What happened?"

"Nothing. It didn't really work because she was dating the captain of the football team, and he probably would've killed me. Hand me Kozue's pot, will you?"

"Oh." Hotaru groaned inwardly. _That's not what I exactly wanted to hear, Dorn-sensei! _ "So, what would you do if that happened to you again?"

"Well, I happen to be married, but if I wasn't I'd ask the person out on a date." He replied as he tripod-ed a piece with glaze on the bottom and put it into the kiln.

"Really?"

"No, but it's just a suggestion. There, the kiln's loaded. Now, why don't you go ahead to lunch? I'll see you in second pd tomorrow."

"Bye Dorn-sensei." _I wonder if I should do that…. Wait, I got it!_

(Later, during fourth period biology)

"Now make your first incision into the chest. Make sure to cut the bone and then begin to look at organs. Don't forget to draw them and hand in the paper at the end of class."

Dino looked at his partner, who was steadily turning green by the minute. "Um, Fuji-sensei, I think Dai-san is going to be sick!"

"Well, Hikari-kun, what do you want me to do?"

"Can I work by myself over by Tomoe-san?"

"Yes. Dai-san, you'll do the virtual frog dissection on the computer."

Dino picked up his note book, tools and dissection pan with said frog in it and moved over to Hotaru, who was working on her frog as well by herself.

"Uh, hey. Can I sit here?"

Hotaru looked up and nodded. He sat down and the two of them went on to their work.

_Well, Tomoe, say something! _ "So, how's it going?"

"Fine. You?"

"Um, I'm good."

There was silence between them again. _Dammit Hikari, just ask her if she's busy on Saturday and get it over with!_

_ Jesus Tomoe, just ask him if he's busy on Saturday and get it over with!_

"Hey, uh, are you busy…"

"…on Saturday?"

They looked at each other for a minute and laughed. Dino grinned as he said, "Well, are you busy on Saturday?"

"No."

"Well, would ya like to go see Swan Lake with me?"

_Oh my god, he's asking me out!_

_ Oh man, I just asked her out!_

"I'd love to."

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Yeah! It's done! Here ya go Jack! 12/26/2004 7:54 PM


End file.
